USN
Pacific
Destroyer Newcomb (DD-586)
and high speed minesweeper Chandler (DMS-9) sink Japanese submarine I-185,
90miles east-northeast of Saipan, 15°50'N, 145°08'E; Japanese guardboat Kompira
Maru is sunk by gunfire off Tinian.
Submarine Bluefish (SS-222),
despite presence of escort, sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kanan Maru off
southernapproaches to Makassar Strait, 03°58'S, 116°35'E.
Submarine Narwhal (SS-167)
sinks Japanese powered sailboat No.2 Shinshu Maru 12 miles southwest of
Culasi,11°22'N, 121°52'E.
Dutch submarine K 14 damages
Japanese minelayer Tsugaru between Sorong, New Guinea, and Kau
Roads,Moluccas, 01°10'S, 130°30'E.
TBF/Ms and F4Fs from escort
carrier White Plains (CVE- 66) sink Japanese cargo ship Shoun Maru off
Rota, Saipan,14°10'N, 145°10'E.
Atlantic
Off Normandy, destroyer Davis
(DD-395) is damaged by mine, 49°23'N, 00°46'W; Coast Guard cutters 83415
and83471 are sunk by storm.
Mediterranean
German torpedo boat TA 25 (ex-Italian
Navy Ardito), damaged by U.S. motor torpedo boats southwest of
Viareggio,Italy, 43°49'N, 10°12'E, is scuttled by German torpedo boat TA 29 (ex-Italian
Navy).
AAF
Eighth AF
The
Eighth begins shuttle bombing missions (FRANTIC) between UK and bases in USSR.
P-47’s (2 groups) escort the Heavy Bombers from just off German coast to
Stendal where a P-51 group continues escort to, and support over, the target
(synthetic oil plant at Ruhland). 123 B-17’s bomb primary target, 21 bomb
Elsterwerda, and a lone B-17 bombs Riesa due to a bomb rack malfunction. After
the attack, the supporting P-51 group is relieved 50 mi SE of Poznan by 65
other P-51’s which are to accompany the Heavy Bombers to USSR. 50 mi SE of
Brest Litovsk 20 to 30 fighters attack the force. In the resulting battle 1 US
and 6 German fighters are destroyed. A single B-17 is lost (to unknown causes)
on the flight. 144 Heavy Bombers land in USSR, 73 at Poltava, and the rest at
Mirgorod. The 64 remaining P-51’s land at Piryatin. The shuttle run is made in conjunction
with a large-scale effort against targets in Berlin area. 935 Heavy Bombers
attack city areas, motor industries, and targets of opportunity in and near
Berlin, Genshagen, Basdorf, Rangsdorf, Trebbin, Belzig, Potsdam, Stendal, and
surrounding areas. 19 Heavy Bombers are lost. Fighters fly 902 sorties in support
of this mission, claiming 18 fighters destroyed, with a loss of 6. In late
afternoon 31 B-24’s bomb CROSSBOW supply sites at Oisemont/Neuville and
Saint-MartinL’Hortier and 39 bomb rocket site at Siracourt. AA fire shoots down
1 B-24. 3 fighter groups fly 101 sorties, meeting no enemy aircraft, but 1 group
strafes railroad and canal targets. During 21/22 Jun the 73 B-17’s which
earlier landed at Poltava are attacked for 2 hrs by an estimated 75 German bombers
led by airplanes dropping flares. 47 Heavy Bombers are destroyed and most of
the remainder severely damaged. Heavy damage is also suffered by stores of fuel
and ammo.
Ninth AF
Over 250
B-26’s and A-20’s bomb 13 V-weapon sites in Pas de Calais area. Over 700 fighters
escort Eighth AF Heavy Bombers over Germany, bomb bridges S and W of Paris, and
strafe rail and road traffic and comm centers N and W of Paris.
Twelfth
AF
Medium
Bombers have excellent results against rail bridges in N and NC Italy, also
hitting viaducts, road bridges, and other comm targets, and bombing ships at
Leghorn harbor. Light Bombers again hit ammo supply while Fighter Bombers concentrate
on rail and road bridges over large area including locations in vicinity of
Gothic Line and at points to the N.
Tenth AF
34 B-25’s
maintain ammo run to Imphal. 61 A-36’s, P-51’s, and P-40’s pound Myitkyina and
Mogaung.
Fourteenth
AF
11 Fighter
Bombers hit river shipping, barracks, and cav forces at Siangtan and Hengshan.
FEAF
P-39’s
and RAAF airplanes hit dumps and bivouacs at Suain and attack other targets in
Wewak area. A- 20’s attack various targets of opportunity in Paniai Lakes area
while B-25’s hit villages on coast of Netherlands New Guinea E of Maffin Bay.
B-24’s bomb Kamiri airfield and other targets on Noemfoor and attack shipping
in Palau Is and at Dublon.
Seventh
AF
B-24’s
based on Kwajalein, bomb Truk.
USA
FRANCE—21
Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s VII Corps area, while 9th and 79th Divs patrol
and reorganize for final assault on Cherbourg, 4th Div closes along the city’s
main defenses to right— Hill 178—NW edge of Bois du Coudray–Hill 158. 22d Inf
gets bn on Hill 158, cutting lateral road between Cherbourg and St
Pierre-Eglise. At night, Gen Collins issues ultimatum to the German garrison commander,
Maj Gen Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben to surrender by 0900 22d.
USSR-FINLAND—Soviet
forces of Karelian Front begin offensive on both sides of Lake Onega.
FRANTIC—U.S.
Eighth Air Force begins shuttle raids between Br and Soviet bases. 114 B–17’s
and 70 P–51’s, after bombing oil targets at Ruhland, S of Berlin, land at
Soviet bases. Enemy discovers the base at Poltava and makes highly destructive attack
on it by light of flares, night 21–22, causing heavy damage to aircraft and
stores of ammunition and gasoline.
ITALY—AAI:
In Pol 2 Corps area, advance elements reach Chienti R line, behind which enemy is
prepared to make a stand, and establish small bridgehead.
In U.S.
Fifth Army area, IV Corps commits 1st Armd Div, reinf by 361st Inf of 91st Div,
to right of 36th Div in sector previously held by TF Ramey, since IV Corps zone
is widening and resistance is increasing. 36th Div continues slowly along
Highway I. FEC is held up by determined opposition along Orcia R line.
In Br
Eighth Army area, 13 Corps battles outlying positions of enemy’s Trasimeno
line. 78th Div takes Sanfatucchio after hard fighting but is unable to progress
against hamlet of Vaiano. S African 6th Armd Div reaches heights leading to Chiusi
but cannot break into the town. 13 Corps commander decides to commit
reserves—4th Div and Cdn 1st Armd Brig—and continue advance on 3-div front;
orders 4th Div to relieve 78th Div of positions below Vaiano on night 22–23 and
be prepared to relieve rest of 78th, which is scheduled to leave the theater at
end of June.
SWPA—TF CYCLONE
Is. formally organized to take Noemfoor. Gen Patrick sets up temporary CP at
Finschhafen.
NEW GUINEA—Owi
airfield is put into use by fighters of Fifth Air Force. On Biak, 1st Bn of 162d
Inf continues attack on West Caves without avail, although tanks and flame
throwers are used. Japanese efforts to withdraw from the position through 186th
Inf lines to NW are frustrated. 186th Inf probes enemy position, called the
Teardrop, just NW of Hill 320. 3d Bn, 163d Inf, which was to have driven into
the Teardrop from NW and N in conjunction with 186th Inf’s pressure from S and
SW, is too far N to reach it. In Wakde-Sarmi area, after probing to locate
strongpoints, 3d Bn of 20th Inf renews attack toward Lone Tree Hill but meets
such heavy fire from well-organized positions that it pulls back to E bank of
Snaky R. Arty and mortar fire are placed on Lone Tree Hill, night 21–22.
SAIPAN—Marine
action is confined to patrolling. Gen Holland Smith, preparing to make main
attack on N and being informed that only 300–500 Japanese remain on Nafutan Pt,
orders most of 27th Div to assemble in corps reserve and places its arty under control
of XXIV Corps Arty; directs single infantry bn and platoon of tanks to continue
clearing S Saipan and protect the airfield. Gen Ralph Smith requests use of RCT
105 and Gen Holland Smith agrees, but orders to this effect do not reach 27th Div
until 22d. Meanwhile, 27th Div continues assault on Nafutan Pt, replacing 2d Bn
of 165th Inf with 2d Bn of 105th on left of line. Day’s action gains little
ground. 3d Bn, 105th, reduces cave strongpoint while continuing E along S coast
and at end of day is only a short distance from troops moving down from N. At
2000, before receiving word that 105th Inf may be retained, Gen Ralph Smith
orders RCT 105 to conduct holding action facing Nafutan Pt and to relieve RCT
165 units by 0630 22d; upon reorganization of lines, not later than 1100 22d,
to continue offensive. Gen Holland Smith orders 27th Div to reconnoiter
northward toward Marines.
USMC
3d Def Bn, which landed 1 Nov
43 on Bougainvillea and was last FMF ground unit in active SoPac area,
withdrawn to Guadalcanal.
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